报告摘要：Active matter is one of the most expanding fields in condensed matter and statistical physics, with enormous interdisciplinary ramifications, ranging from molecular biology to robotics. In its broadest sense, it describes systems of self-propelled units that can locally convert some kind of energy into directed motion, and whose properties are modulated by interactions between units or with the environment. Examples range across different scales, from cellular tissues and colonies, bacteria and artificial microswimmers, to animal groups and robotic swarms. The distinctive feature of active matter is the non-equilibrium nature of its dynamics, giving rise to peculiar individual motions and new collective patterns in interacting multi-unit aggregations. In this talk I will introduce the progress in the experimental characterization, theoretical description and the ongoing interests in these systems.